Frost and Petals: The CEO's Heartthaw

PART 4

Noor knocked softly on the door, her heart racing in her chest. She waited for the stern voice inside to grant her permission, then stepped into the room with careful, measured steps. The air was thick with tension, and as she approached the massive mahogany desk, her grip tightened around the coffee mug she carried. She leaned forward, her hand trembling slightly as she moved to set the coffee down on the table. But in her nervousness, disaster struck. The mug tilted, and before she could react, dark coffee spilled over the neatly stacked files, soaking the important documents.Her breath hitched as panic surged through her veins. "Sir, I-I'm so sorry!" she stammered, her voice high and shaky. "I didn't mean to! It was an accident, I swear, I didn't—" The words tumbled out in a rush, like a flood she couldn't stop. For a moment, the room was silent, the tension crackling like electricity. Then he erupted."What the hell, Noor?!" he roared, his voice booming with rage. His eyes burned with fury as he glared at her, his face a mask of frustration. "You spilled coffee on the files? Do you have any idea how important those documents were?" He stood abruptly, his hands slamming onto the desk as he leaned forward. "Can you do *anything* right?"His outburst echoed in the room like a thunderstorm, violent and unrelenting. Already stressed from other issues weighing on his mind, her mistake seemed to push him over the edge. His anger erupted like a volcano, and Noor stood there frozen, terrified, feeling the heat of his fury as if it would swallow her whole.

She had never seen him this angry before, and her hands instinctively tightened into fists at her sides, fighting the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.

"I'm really sorry. It was careless of me. I'll do my best to salvage the files and make sure it doesn't happen again," Noor whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision as she blinked rapidly, trying to maintain her composure. Her heart raced, and despite her best efforts, a tear slipped down her cheek, betraying her attempt to stay strong.He sighed heavily, his anger simmering down as he noticed the tears she was trying to hold back. The sight of her vulnerable and genuinely upset softened his rigid stance. "You better fix this mess, Noor," he said, his tone calmer now, though still laced with frustration. "Those documents were important. Check if we have any backups and see if it's possible to recover the information. Also, get some cloths and try to dry them out as much as possible.""Yes, Sir," Noor responded quickly, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "Right away. I'll also contact the IT department to check for any backups. I promise I'll take full responsibility for this and make sure it gets resolved." Her voice was still shaky, but a small wave of relief washed over her. He no longer seemed like the raging volcano from moments before, but his sternness still lingered. "Make sure you do," he said grudgingly, his sharpness fading into something softer. "And be more careful in the future. Accidents like these shouldn't happen."Noor nodded, her resolve strengthening. "Absolutely, Sir. I'll double-check everything from now on and make sure no mishaps occur." She could feel herself regaining control, though the tremble in her voice gave away her lingering nerves.He allowed a small, almost imperceptible smile to tug at the corners of his lips. "Good. I expect you to handle this properly. Just remember to be more attentive and cautious in your work going forward.""Thank you for your understanding, Sir. I'll do everything I can to rectify the situation and ensure this doesn't happen again."He nodded, his gaze softening further. "That's what I expect. Now, get to work and fix this as best as you can."Noor quickly left his office, her pulse still racing as she headed to her cabin. The encounter had left her shaken, and despite his calming down, the guilt of her mistake weighed heavily on her. As soon as she sat down at her desk, she buried her face in her hands for a brief moment, trying to pull herself together.Her friend, who had been passing by, noticed Noor's distressed expression. Concern etched on her face, she quietly approached Noor's cabin, deciding to follow her inside.

"I can't believe he scolded me like that just for spilling coffee on the files! It was an accident," Noor said, her voice trembling as she recounted the incident to her friend, Sarah. Her eyes were still watery, and the frustration was written all over her face. Arsalan's strict demeanor was well-known in the office, but for Noor, seeing this harsh side of him so directly felt new. He had scolded her before, but never to this extent. This outburst felt different—sharper, more personal."I know, that must have been really tough to deal with," Sarah replied gently, resting a reassuring hand on Noor's shoulder. "Did you explain to him that it was just an accident?""I did!" Noor sniffed, wiping her nose with a tissue. "But he didn't seem to care at all. He acted like I did it on purpose, like I'm some sort of incompetent fool." Her voice cracked with helplessness, and she could feel the sting of Arsalan's harsh words echoing in her mind."That's so unfair," Sarah sympathized, shaking her head. "Maybe you could try talking to him again? You know, when he's calmed down. Explain yourself better?"Noor let out a deep, exasperated sigh. "I don't think it'll make a difference. It feels like he's always looking for reasons to criticize me," she said, her voice full of resignation. Sarah frowned, feeling her friend's frustration. "I'm really sorry you're going through this. Is there anything I can do to help?""Just listening helps," Noor said, offering a weak smile through her tears. "Thanks for being here, really.""Always, Noor," Sarah replied warmly, squeezing her shoulder gently. "But, to be honest, I don't think what you said about him constantly criticizing you is entirely true." She paused for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "I mean, look at how he treats the others. Arsalan scolds people for every little thing—missing deadlines, being late—but he's never really been that hard on you, has he? You come in late sometimes, and he doesn't say anything. I swear, if it were anyone else, they'd have been fired by now."Noor looked at her friend, frowning slightly. This wasn't the first time Sarah had suggested something like this. She had always hinted that Arsalan might treat her differently because he liked her, but Noor had brushed it off every time. "Sarah, please," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "You always say that, but I don't think that's the case. He's just... difficult, that's all."Sarah raised her eyebrows, smiling playfully. "I'm just saying, Noor. He might be difficult, but he doesn't seem to want you out of here. There might be more to it than you think."Noor let out a tired sigh, leaning back in her chair. "I don't know. Maybe. I just can't deal with this today.""Well, either way, I'm here for you," Sarah said, her tone soft and comforting. "And remember, you're doing great. He might be tough, but you're tougher." Noor smiled a little at that, grateful for her friend's support, even if she didn't fully believe Sarah's theory.

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She stepped out of the office, drained from the day, and spotted her brother Aliyan's car parked outside. Relief washed over her, and with a weary sigh, she walked over and climbed into the passenger seat."How's your day, little rat?" Aliyan teased, glancing over at his sister with a playful smirk.Noor pouted, making her signature cute, mock-crying face. "Oh, Bhai, it was so exhausting. You know what? Arsalan sir scolded me," she said, her voice dripping with tired frustration.Aliyan raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Really? What happened?"Noor sighed, fidgeting with her fingers as she explained, "Well, you know our boss is working on a big project, right?""Yeah, I remember. You told me about it before. But what happened today?" he asked, his curiosity piqued."I... accidentally spilled coffee all over the files related to that project," Noor admitted, her voice small as she glanced up at him, expecting sympathy. "And he scolded me so much! He's so mean!"Aliyan blinked, then burst out laughing. "What?? You deserved to be scolded for that!" he said, shaking his head in disbelief.Noor's pout deepened, feeling slightly betrayed. "But it was an accident, Bhai! He didn't have to yell at me like that."Aliyan gave her a pointed look. "Noor, those were important files, right? Of course, he'd get angry! That project is a big deal, and spilling coffee on them could've caused serious delays."She crossed her arms, turning to look out the window, grumbling, "Are you on my side or Arsalan sir's side?"Aliyan chuckled, reaching over to ruffle her hair. "I'm on the side of whoever's right. But don't worry, accidents happen. Just be more careful next time." Noor sighed dramatically, but she couldn't help smiling a little at her brother's teasing.

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Writing this chapter has been a journey, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to read it! If you enjoyed it, please consider voting and sharing it with your friends—your support means the world and keeps me motivated to write more.